Obligatory post-season prediction post

Here are my MLB post-season predictions. They are based on an unscientific combination of what I want to happen and what I honestly believe will happen:

American League Divisional Series:

Rays defeat White Sox, 3-1.
The White Sox will be disoriented playing in a sold-out dome filled with screaming fans. The Sox will win Game 3 in Chicago with Danks on the mound, but the Rays will clinch in Game 4.

Angels defeat Red Sox, 3-1.
I might be generous giving the Red Sox one win here, because I believe that the Angels have the better pitching, hitting, and defense.

National League Divisional Series:

Brewers defeat Phillies, 3-2.
I predict a close, evenly-matched series, but I give the edge to the Brewers mostly because I like them better.

Dodgers defeat Cubs, 3-2.
Everybody’s picking the Cubs, but I think they’re overrated. Joe Torre is a better post-season manager than Lou Piniella, and I really like the Dodgers lineup better than Chicago, and their pitching is underrated.

American League Championship Series:

Rays defeat Angels, 4-3.
This will be a very close series, but I give the edge to the Rays because of the Angels’ inability to win at the Trop. And I think that Joe Maddon knows what his former boss Mike Scioscia is thinking more than Scioscia can figure out what Maddon is thinking.

National League Championship Series:

Brewers defeat Dodgers, 4-3.
This one could go either way. I’m giving it to the Brewers because I’m pulling for the small-market underdogs, and I think they are hungrier than the Dodgers. And at some point in the playoffs, Ryan Braun will wake up and hit like Ryan Braun again.

World Series:

Rays defeat Brewers, 4-0.
Did you really think I’d pick any differently? The Rays will prove here that the American League is vastly superior to the National League, and bring a World Series championship home to St. Pete. Millions of fans will jump on the bandwagon. St. Pete will beg the Rays to let them build the new stadium, and the team will enjoy many years of prosperity and winning!

Thanks for the nod in the Dodgers’ direction…hardly anyone in the sports world is giving them a chance. However as we speak, the Cubs’ great #1 starter Dempster pitched a lot worse than his already horrible stat line of 4.2 IP and 4 ER. Go Dodgers!

Yeah, I’m rooting for the Dodgers more and more as I watch this game. Seeing Don Mattingly in their dugout in that unfamiliar Dodger Blue is pretty cool. Everyone gives Manny all the credit for their second half turnaround, but Don did become their hitting coach after the All Star break, so he deserves some credit too. Mostly though, I like rooting against the Cubs since they seem to be the trendy pick to win the World Series…